Butler boys wrestling falters late in loss to Indiana to open season after early lead
BUTLER TWP — A win to open the season was there for the taking for Butler boys wrestling, but Indiana’s late domination dropped the Golden Tornado on their home mat Wednesday night.
Sutton Stoner’s win by technical fall at 160 pounds pushed Butler’s lead to 31-15 with four bouts remaining. But in each case, the Tornado ended up on their back. Indiana’s Dominic Donatelli (172 pounds), Dominic Fanella (189), Jacob Snyder (215) and Jackson Higgins (285) pinned Butler’s Hunter Dinger, Drake Barto, Javier Valdez and Ace McElravy, respectively, and the Little Indians escaped Butler Intermediate High School with a 39-31 victory.
“We’re inexperienced in the upper weight classes and we don’t have much depth,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “We have a few stars and are more of a tournament team.”
Indiana took a 33-31 lead into the final bout at 285 pounds. McElravy tallied 25 wins as a freshman last year, but took the mat Wednesday with his left shoulder in a brace.
He battled Higgins during a scoreless first period, allowed a reversal in the second before responding with an escape to make it 2-1. But Higgins earned the fall with six seconds left in the period.
“There was a question of whether or not Ace would be able to wrestle this year with that shoulder,” Stoner said. “The doctor said the injury can’t get any worse.”
Helping the Tornado build their lead was sophomore Mason Swidzinski, who rebounded from a 9-0 deficit to pin Sean Parks at 139 pounds.
The rally began with Swidzinski’s reversal in the second period. He took command in the third and earned the pin in 5:27.
Swidzinski said he’s used to coming back in bouts.
“I’ve been wrestling for five years and have won a lot of matches after falling behind big like that,” he said. “I keep with it, don’t give up. I don’t let the score affect how I wrestle.”
“Mason didn’t quit and he won the match, so hats off to him,” Stoner said. “There are things that we’ve talked with him about, improvements he needs to make, and he has to continue to work.”
Another highlight was Dylan Thurber’s win in his first varsity bout. He defeated Nate Turner 12-5 in overtime at 145.
Also earning a pin for the Tornado was Ben Kinney at 107 pounds.
“It’s been back and forth between us and Butler,” Indiana coach Tony Donatelli said. “They beat us the last two years and we won the year before that. They’re always well-conditioned and technically sound.”
Butler will compete in the Chartiers-Houston Tournament Friday and Saturday.
Indiana 39, Butler 31
Match started at 107 pounds
107-Ben Kinney (B) pinned Jeremiah Hilliard, :23; 114-Lewis Sears (I) pinned Carmello Cantera, 1:23; 121-Charles Spells (I) dec. Sullivan Stutz, 17-14 (OT); 127-Nick Savannah (B) won by forfeit; 133-Santino Sloboda (B) tech. fall Hunter Williams, 17-1; 139-Mason Swidzinski (B) pinned Sean Parks, 5:27; 145-Dylan Thurber (B) dec. Nate Turner, 12-5 (OT); 152-Connor Sevajian (I) pinned Dennis Brunton, 4:50; 160-Sutton Stoner (B) tech. fall Rowan Grantz, 17-2; 172-Dominic Donatelli (I) pinned Hunter Dinger, :29; 189-Dominic Fanella (I) pinned Drake Barto, 1:02; 215-Jacob Snyder (I) pinned Javier Valdez, 1:51; 285-Jackson Higgins (I) pinned Ace McElravy, 3:54
